


Jin Fizz

by nigiyakapepper



Series: Welcome to Artemis [1]
Category: Danball Senki
Genre: Adults, Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Crossdressing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-23
Updated: 2012-05-23
Packaged: 2017-11-05 21:23:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/411162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nigiyakapepper/pseuds/nigiyakapepper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a new singer at Bar Kazu.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jin Fizz

The heavy, leather-finished door of Bar Kazu swings open. Aoshima Kazuya, the owner and chief bartender turns to greet the new customer with a hearty welcome.

“Ban!” he exclaims instead. This is a pleasant surprise and he excuses himself from the bar to hug his old friend.

“Long time no see!” Ban says cheerfully and hands Kazuya a bouquet of good luck orchids and a bottle of champagne. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to drop by during the opening, but here’s a pretty belated congratulations.”

“Don’t worry about it. Ami was a bit miffed but we all understood how busy three star hotel chefs were.”

Ban laughs sheepishly and scratches his cheek, looking adorably youthful and baby faced, despite his age. Kazuya smiles.

“Come have a drink?”

“Absolutely! I haven’t had your cocktails is ages!”

They return to the bar and Ban seats himself on one of high stools and looks about.

Bar Kazu lies at the heart of Ginza. A classy yet homely place where people from all walks of life could come and enjoy good drinks, a mellow ambiance and good music. The bar is becoming known for the quality and variety of who they feature on their humble stage every night, or so Ban reads from the lifestyle section of the newspaper. He’s a bit excited to see if this is true.

“What would you like?” Kazuya asks and Ban hums for a moment in thought.

“A gin fizz,” he answers and Kazuya grins.

“A fitting choice for tonight.”

“Hm? Why?”

“The bar isn’t usually this full on most days,” Kazuya admits as he expertly mixes Ban’s drink and serves it to him with an elegant flourish. “Please enjoy.”

“What do you mean?” Ban asks, intrigued, before taking a sip and sighing dreamily. “Your drinks really are the best, Kazu. The bar at the hotel I work in is …is really bad,” he finishes in a whisper and Kazuya chuckles.

“Well anyway, tonight’s singer has gotten to be really popular. It's hard for customers to find seats, not that I’m complaining,” Kazuya continues.

Ban sips his drink.

“Ami found him in Shinjuku Ni-choume.”

And Ban almost coughs it out.

“Are those your kind of customers?” he asks, after a cough.

Kazuya waves a hand. “People aren't really bothered if that's what you're worried about. They’re enjoying themselves. It won’t matter if he’s from Roppongi or Ginza or Osaka. Have a listen.”

And Ban does.

Across the bar is a small stage fronting a collection of cafe tables packed with people. On the stage is a piano being played by Ryu, the resident piano man, and the new mystery singer sitting on a bar stool.

The song is Norah Jones in Japanese in a voice that's neither male nor female but a lovely in-between. Its vibrations seemingly fuse with the soul, capturing it and carrying it to a sweeter elsewhere. So that even just for a moment, the worries and stress of all the listeners are gently slid aside and wiped away.

The singer himself is a bit bony, with a manly set to his shoulders, fair skin, and short two-toned hair that fell around his neck, looking absolutely stunning in a shimmering slate-colored long gown. His crimson eyes exude a "come hither" look but a second glance reveals he is actually, utterly…

Bored?

Ban inhales, not realizing he has been holding his breath.

“Captivates you, doesn’t he?”

“What’s his name?”

“Jin.”

“Jin?”

“Like gin fizz.”

Ah. Ban chases that elusive tang in the glass-smoothness of his drink. “Like gin fizz…” he repeats and gazes at the warm-lit stage were Jin sings soulful jazz and feels pleasant purring course through his frame, warming his belly. Tonight is a good night.

— - —

Ban waits behind Bar Kazu by the employees’ back entrance like kid after school. He finally breaks into a smile when Jin comes out the door, dressed in a hoodie and jeans, looking every bit as bored and lovely as he was in a dress. He swings a worn backpack onto his shoulder and freezes when he catches sight of Ban.

“What do you want?”

Ban startles a bit at Jin's sharp, low tone. It's commanding, intimidating, yet undemanding all at once.

“Ah well…well, I saw your performance tonight and…” Ban twiddles his thumbs, feeling pressure under Jin’s stare. “You were really good and you looked pretty,” he finishes with a hushed bashfulness, narrowly stopping his hand from coming up to scratch the back of his neck.

Jin's minute huff of amusement goes unnoticed. “Pretty huh,” he says, seemingly unimpressed. “Surely you can do better than that? Pretty’s not usually enough to buy me, you know.”

“Ah!" There's more than a bit of mortification on Ban's face at the implication of Jin's statement, which is rather endearing. "I didn’t mean it that way at all! I just wanted to compliment you…”

“I know," he says, casual. "You wouldn’t be able to afford me anyway.”

Ban doesn't know how to reply. Jin stares at him, piercing and red. Calculating. Ban fidgets, nervous. He’s still dressed in his work clothes, stained with food and smelling of industrial cleaning detergent. His hands are scarred from cooking, calloused and dry from constant washing.

Jin hums, the note giving no indication of whatever conclusions he'd come to. From his pocket, he fishes a cigarette and lights it, takes a drag and exhales an elegant puff of smoke. Ban swallows, heartbeat rising to his throat and picking up its pace.

“Are you friends with Kazu and Ami?” Jin asks.

“Since junior high,” Ban says, unsure where this is going.

“You’ve got weird friends, but you all work hard and I like that.” He makes motions to leave and Ban unconsciously moves to follow him.

“Will you sing here again? Or well… I don’t know when I’ll be able to visit.”

Jin regards him for a moment, then smiles. Despite its mix of coy and bemused, it changes his whole face. Ban isn't aware of his mouth falling slightly open in surprise until Jin has moved closer to him and the cigarette is placed between his lips.

“We’ll see,” Jin says smoothly, his fingertips no more than a wisp of touch on Ban’s cheek, before leaving.

Ban watches him go, stupefied, until he's only staring at a stretch of empty alley. Slowly, Ban takes Jin’s cigarette between his fingers, takes a drag of his own and releases it gently into the evening sky.

**END**

**Author's Note:**

> This fic has been edited from its first version posted on [Tumblr](http://nigiyakapepper.tumblr.com/post/22038312877/jin-fizz-danball-senki-jin-ban-sorta-au).


End file.
